As the critical dimensions of devices continue to shrink, substrate processing systems require more sensitive control of heating, gas flow, and the like. The inventors have observed that substrate processing systems, for example, configured for epitaxial deposition processes, may achieve improved process control by using multi-zonal lamps without a susceptor plate to support the substrate, which can undesirably thermally average the multi-zonal heating effects.
Thus, the inventors have provided improved methods and apparatus for processing substrates.